One of my favourite things about visiting famous, beautiful cities is escaping from them for a different perspective.
I love Barcelona – who doesn’t? – the architecture, the bustle, the energy. But there’s a great place not far away to get a totally different vibe. Jump on a train from central Barcelona and within an hour you’ll be at the foot of a steep mountain covered with enormous, weird, smooth rocky outcrops. At the top of the mountain is the beautiful Santa Maria de Montserrat, a Benedictine abbey with 1,000 years of history. You can either climb the mountain or, as I did, hop into a cable car and be whisked effortlessly to the top. Pilgrims have been coming here for centuries to see the abbey’s famous black madonna and there’s a boarding school that’s home to one of the oldest boys’ choirs in Europe, who often perform.
But besides the abbey, the real highlight is the miles and miles of well-marked beautiful hiking trails around the Montserrat natural park. The views are spectacular, the rocky landscape and cool, shaded woodlands are delightful, and rarely have I enjoyed a simple squashed jamon y queso sandwich more than watching the sun set from those peaceful heights.
Visiting Montserrat is an easy day trip from Barcelona, or you could do as I did and spend the night wild camping up on the mountain (there is a hotel if you prefer), hogging all its beauty to yourself for a fabulous night under the stars.
